Published: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at 10:28 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at 10:35 p.m.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH — Nearly 200 people turned out Tuesday night for an informational meeting with State Sen. Dorothy Hukill and Volusia County Councilwoman Deb Denys on the space industry.

The conversation and questions from the majority of the crowd focused on just one aspect of that industry: Space Florida's quest to develop a commercial spaceport in southeastern Volusia County.

Hukill, R-Port Orange, and Denys scheduled the meeting to give residents an open forum to ask questions, particularly about the spaceport.

“This is an exciting time for Volusia County,” said Denys. “There's an opportunity for all of us to literally go where we have not gone before.”

But the officials left with no doubt it's a direction many in the room have no desire to go.

Fishermen, retired aerospace engineers and environmentalists filled the Brannon Center, most with just one message: They support the space industry and would love to see it rebound locally, but not at Shiloh, just north of the Volusia county line.

The proposed site is on NASA-owned land now managed as Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral National Seashore.

Space Florida, a public/private corporation formed to attract space-related business, is seeking private partners to develop a vertical launch facility on at least 150 acres. It hopes to spur economic development and jobs by attracting space-related businesses, including manufacturers to support commercial launches.

The Federal Aviation Administration will launch an 18-month Environmental Impact Statement process to determine the potential impacts of such a spaceport later this summer.

At least 22 speakers either asked questions or made short statements voicing their concerns, at least 17 in opposition. Several, including the retired engineers, raised questions about the safety of commercial rocket launches over Mosquito Lagoon and closer to homes than existing launches at Cape Canaveral.

“Launch them down there and not in our lagoon,” said Scott Tripp, a fishing guide. “Guarantee me that when that rocket aborts, it doesn't land in my Mosquito Lagoon.”

Frank Myers of Oak Hill said his front door is five miles from the proposed location.

“What happens when a launch is going, how does that affect me?”

Dale Ketcham, chief of strategic alliances for Space Florida, reiterated several times that the FAA will never permit a spaceport unless it is confident all concerns have been addressed and the environmental impact process would answer such questions.

Speaker Jake Sachs said he supported the space industry. “We stood on our beach and watched those heroes go up ... and we cried when they died,” Sachs said. Then added: “But it's no longer space exploration, it's space exploitation.”

The lagoon and seashore, he said “are national treasures, all of ours,” he said. “Please constrain yourselves, please do the right thing for all of us.”

Stan Escudero, a former head of the Volusia County Republican Executive Committee, spoke in favor of the process, as did Jim Cameron with the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce. Escudero praised Denys for her trip to Washington, D.C., last week with Cameron and others to lobby for the spaceport.

Emotions threatened to boil over a couple of times as voices were raised in opposition and incredulity at the answers to some questions from the panelists.

Afterward, Hukill and Denys said they were pleased with the meeting and happy residents had the chance to express themselves.

Hukill said she believes the FAA's environmental impact statement process will answer a lot of the questions, address concerns and give everyone more specifics for making future decisions.

<p>NEW SMYRNA BEACH — Nearly 200 people turned out Tuesday night for an informational meeting with State Sen. Dorothy Hukill and Volusia County Councilwoman Deb Denys on the space industry. </p><p> The conversation and questions from the majority of the crowd focused on just one aspect of that industry: Space Florida's quest to develop a commercial spaceport in southeastern Volusia County. </p><p> Hukill, R-Port Orange, and Denys scheduled the meeting to give residents an open forum to ask questions, particularly about the spaceport. </p><p> “This is an exciting time for Volusia County,” said Denys. “There's an opportunity for all of us to literally go where we have not gone before.” </p><p> But the officials left with no doubt it's a direction many in the room have no desire to go. </p><p> Fishermen, retired aerospace engineers and environmentalists filled the Brannon Center, most with just one message: They support the space industry and would love to see it rebound locally, but not at Shiloh, just north of the Volusia county line. </p><p> The proposed site is on NASA-owned land now managed as Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral National Seashore. </p><p> Space Florida, a public/private corporation formed to attract space-related business, is seeking private partners to develop a vertical launch facility on at least 150 acres. It hopes to spur economic development and jobs by attracting space-related businesses, including manufacturers to support commercial launches. </p><p> The Federal Aviation Administration will launch an 18-month Environmental Impact Statement process to determine the potential impacts of such a spaceport later this summer. </p><p> At least 22 speakers either asked questions or made short statements voicing their concerns, at least 17 in opposition. Several, including the retired engineers, raised questions about the safety of commercial rocket launches over Mosquito Lagoon and closer to homes than existing launches at Cape Canaveral. </p><p> “Launch them down there and not in our lagoon,” said Scott Tripp, a fishing guide. “Guarantee me that when that rocket aborts, it doesn't land in my Mosquito Lagoon.” </p><p> Frank Myers of Oak Hill said his front door is five miles from the proposed location. </p><p> “What happens when a launch is going, how does that affect me?” </p><p> Dale Ketcham, chief of strategic alliances for Space Florida, reiterated several times that the FAA will never permit a spaceport unless it is confident all concerns have been addressed and the environmental impact process would answer such questions. </p><p> Speaker Jake Sachs said he supported the space industry. “We stood on our beach and watched those heroes go up ... and we cried when they died,” Sachs said. Then added: “But it's no longer space exploration, it's space exploitation.” </p><p> The lagoon and seashore, he said “are national treasures, all of ours,” he said. “Please constrain yourselves, please do the right thing for all of us.” </p><p> Stan Escudero, a former head of the Volusia County Republican Executive Committee, spoke in favor of the process, as did Jim Cameron with the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce. Escudero praised Denys for her trip to Washington, D.C., last week with Cameron and others to lobby for the spaceport. </p><p> </p><p> Emotions threatened to boil over a couple of times as voices were raised in opposition and incredulity at the answers to some questions from the panelists. </p><p> Afterward, Hukill and Denys said they were pleased with the meeting and happy residents had the chance to express themselves. </p><p> Hukill said she believes the FAA's environmental impact statement process will answer a lot of the questions, address concerns and give everyone more specifics for making future decisions.</p>